It was far from pretty but Ross County are safe in the Scottish Premiership for another season after grinding out the win they needed against Hibernian to end the doubt.
Captain Richard Brittain’s penalty just after the hour mark settled a fraught and frantic game in the Staggies favour.
Derek Adams and his players celebrated with relief at the full-time whistle but the agony continues for Hibernian whose fight for survival will go to the final day of the campaign against Partick Thistle on Saturday.
With so much at stake, it was no surprise to see nerves on display as both sides started the game at whirlwind pace.
As you would expect, every loose ball was challenged with the ferocity a game of this magnitude commanded.
But it was Hibernian, who had clearly adopted a shoot-on-sight policy, who made the brighter opening.
Jason Cummings came closest to breaking the deadlock with a fierce 20-yard strike which stung the gloves of County goalkeeper Mark Brown.
The Leithers’ tempo and pressing play was everything manager Terry Butcher wanted from his side and County found it difficult to impose themselves.
With the Staggies midfield forced to track the attacking runs of their Hibs counterparts, County attackers Jordan Slew and Yoann Arquin were left contesting long balls in the opening exchanges and the height of Arquin, in particular, was an effective weapon for the home side.
Hibs wanted to play football while the Staggies were determined to be rugged and physical and the presence of Arquin almost led to County breaking the deadlock. But the Hibs defence managed to smother his shot at the back post after they had initially failed to clear a corner.
Hibees captain Liam Craig was at the heart of all the Edinburgh side’s attacking play but, hopeful long-distance efforts aside, chances were few and far between although Scott Robertson should have done better than head Alex Harris’s free kick wide from 10 yards.
County’s set-piece threat was much greater, with Hibernian’s inability to match up with the aerial presence of Arquin proving problematic to them.
Hibs midfielder Craig was given the task of trying to mark Arquin but it was a clear mismatch and one which County sought to exploit at every opportunity.
One such instance almost produced the breakthrough the home side craved as Arquin beat Craig to glance Richard Brittain’s free kick goalwards. Visiting goalkeeper Ben Williams could only watch as the ball came back off his right post and the Hibs defence cleared the danger.
The chance gave the County players encouragement and brought what had been a subdued, nervous home support to its feet, but the first half ended goalless.
County were determined to continue where they left off in the second half and a fine passing move created the first chance of the half as Filip Kiss sent Melvin de Leeuw clear down the left.
The Dutch midfielder crossed to the back post where Richard Brittain rose to head goalwards but Williams saved his effort.
There was an edge to proceedings which had been absent in the first half and Kiss soon found himself booked for a foul on Cummings as play became stretched.
With more space to exploit County looked much more of an attacking threat and they finally made the breakthrough they craved.
Jordan Slew sent Arquin away down the left and the Frenchman picked out his attacking partner with a neat cutback.
Slew went to strike the ball but was bundled over in the box by Hibs midfielder Robertson and referee John Beaton pointed to the spot.
The anguish for Robertson was clear as he lay motionless in the penalty area but Staggies captain Brittain was the calmest man on the pitch as he fired the spot kick low past Williams to put his side in front.
Hibs manager Terry Butcher immediately sent on Duncan Watmore for Harris as he went in search of an equaliser and County manager Derek Adams responded by making an attacking change of his own, Alex Cooper joining the action in place of de Leeuw.
Cooper’s introduction gave County tremendous pace in the final third and the attacking midfielder sent Slew clear of goal as the home side pushed for a second goal to kill off Hibs but the on loan Blackburn forward fired over Williams’s crossbar to continue his wait for a first goal for the club since his January move.
His miss was almost punished with six minutes remaining by Hibs attacker Cummings, who headed Alan Maybury’s cross wide of Brown’s right post but the Staggies held out.